Miami Heat: Enjoy Hassan Whiteside While You Still Can

The Miami Heat are playing a game of chicken, facing down age and injury to see who veers away first, all while pinning their hopes on a plan that may never come to fruition. And center Hassan Whiteside, fittingly, is caught in the middle.

Miami has high hopes for the season, ones confirmed on Tuesday when team president Pat Riley stated that he sees this current version of the team as a legitimate title contender. Not prone to exaggeration, Riley’s belief isn’t necessarily a commonly-held one, as many pundits think the team could simply fall apart if things don’t go precisely right.

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While the team seems talented enough to contend, an injury to one of their stars could derail things completely, an admission even Riley is willing to make:

"“I think this team has all of the elements of a championship team. Whether or not you can ever win a championship will depend on a number of factors. I can list them and you can list them. It’s going to come down to this, health,… performance and this guy and that guy. It’s going to come down to can you make shots? I think this team has the opportunity and the possibilities of being a contender. That’s where you start with a team like this. We have an opportunity to create a new first. That’s how I feel about this team…. I’m excited about this season.”"

As for Whiteside, just 26 years old, missing time isn’t as much of a concern as simply remaining consistent following an unexpectedly productive season. His focus is on showing that his breakout wasn’t a mere fluke especially with free agency looming large in the 2016 offseason.

Strangely enough, even another solid year might not deter, or even especially could lead to, Riley choosing not sign him.

Whiteside and the Heat are in an odd predicament here, at least in context of their continued relationship. Should he excel during the upcoming season, he’ll strengthen the team’s chances of winning a title. But he’ll also likely price himself out of Miami’s future plans, ones that include the possibility, however remote, of luring Kevin Durant to the Heat.

Grantland’s Zach Lowe examined Miami’s strengths, weaknesses and impossible-to-predict future and had this to say about the Whiteside/Durant conundrum:

"One star changes everything, and Riley gets stars. Next summer, Miami could open up nearly $40 million in cap room, and as much as $45 million if it moves McRoberts for extra cap space. That’s a ton, but if Whiteside has even a solid season, it’s not enough to bring back both Whiteside and Wade while signing an outside star; the Heat will not have full Bird rights on Whiteside, meaning they will have to dip into cap space to re-sign him."

Of course, Whiteside could wind up being an attractive option for another team to sign and Miami might still be able to get something out of the deal, as Lowe explains:

"Whiteside looms as a mammoth sign-and-trade chip if another star wants to strong-arm his way into Miami, though that requires some cap gymnastics and the cooperation of teams that could just sign Whiteside outright."

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That’s a tough scenario to foresee, should Riley somehow be able to convince Durant that his best chance of finally winning a championship is in Miami. Other teams won’t be willing to help the Heat bring a superstar like Durant to the fold while still helping them clear salary cap space by trading away Whiteside.

But there’s also the possibility of Riley shipping Whiteside away in mid-season while his value is still at its peak, a precedent in Miami that might be difficult to remember.

Isaac Austin was a 6’10” center that had a lot of potential when he was first drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1991. After three mediocre seasons with the Jazz, he’d spend two more years overseas, still yearning for the opportunity to prove himself in the NBA. Austin remained on Miami’s radar throughout that time, advising him to lose weight and report to camp in shape.

He earned a spot on Miami’s roster in 1995, notching 9.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a backup to All-Star Alonzo Mourning.

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The following season, Mourning went down with an injury and Austin stepped up significantly and racked up solid numbers (12.7 points/6.3 rebounds) as a starter. However, he was set to become a free agent following the season and, with Austin’s star on the rise, he was likely too expensive for Miami to re-sign.

He was traded to the Clippers in mid-season for Brent Barry, and Austin would eventually be rewarded with a rich multi-year deal that he’d never live up to.

The comparison is almost too perfect, as Austin’s reportedly poor attitude and work ethic — like Whiteside’s — kept him from earning a spot in the NBA. The Heat took a chance, a move that paid off for all parties, both in 1995 and in 2014.

Whiteside’s in a lose-lose scenario with Miami — should he falter next season, he’ll likely be moved while he still represents some value for the team. If he succeeds, he’s too expensive to retain and Riley, who loves the possibility of adding a Hall-of-Fame superstar like Durant, may not even want him on the team.

The big man is well-liked by Miami’s fan base; he’s imminently quotable, fiery and provides the rim-protection and rebounding that were missing during the four years of the “Big 3” era. But enjoy him while you can, Heat fans, because his days in South Florida are likely numbered.

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